While summer heat waves may still be going strong, August means pens and binders and laptops aren’t too far off. Keep your business ahead of the curve by making the most of this back-to-school season.

The National Retail Federation’s 2019 annual report states that back-to-college and back-to-school shopping are set to reach $80.7 billion this year, while families with children in K-12 plan to spend an average $696.70. That’s up from $684.79 in 2018 and tops the previous record of $688.62 set in 2012. Since most spending goes to clothing, accessories and electronics, don’t be afraid to raise your hand and get some of the profits if your business is in these industries.

Though August is the biggest month for back-to-school deals, stores are starting earlier each year. According to Deloitte, from late July to early August, approximately 90 percent of back-to-school shoppers are expected to start filling their carts. That doesn’t mean it’s too late to promote back-to-school, however.

So, start ramping up your sales (and increasing your profits) with discounts, social posts and emails to communicate your deals. Here’s how to ace your subject lines.

Back-to-school subject lines that add up to great sales

Whether you’re promoting a sale or wishing students the best for the new academic year, keep it smart and keep it classy! Here are some back-to-school email marketing ideas worth noting:

• Spend $15, save $5 on ALL your back-to-school basics. | Dollar General
• Make the Grade: Back-to-School Favorites Up to 65% Off | DiscountMags.com
• Fun new ways to help kids learn back-to-school routines | Really Good Stuff
• Turn Heads! Get “A+” Gear For “Back-To-School” Excursions! | Morris 4×4 Center
• Cheat sheet! Our editors curated this: Back-to-school style | Dash & Albert Rugs
• Your cheat sheet for seats. Styles under $200 | Wayfair
• Back-to-school checklist. Take notes! | BoxLunch
• Let us help you carry that | Billabong

Plus, back-to-school subject lines from the VerticalResponse class

Because we’re always on the hunt for extra credit, we had to do more. Use these as is or add your own spin to make them meaningful for your business. After all, you don’t want to be the only business who shows up late to the first day of school.

• 3 reasons why you should shop after July
• The kind of math we like: 50% off EVERYTHING
• You’re our top pick! See our back-to-school sporting bundles.
• Better than a sunny day … this Sunday sale takes care of last-minute shoppers
• You can skip class, but don’t skip this crazy deal!
• Back at it in the newest backpacks this year.
• Be a teacher’s pet. ALL produce on sale, this week only!
• We won’t tell if you cheat — 90% (off) is too good to pass up

Utilize back-to-school shopping as your mid-year email marketing boost. By engaging your audience with strong subject lines, you’ll increase sales while giving students one last thing to look forward to.

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Editor’s note: This article was originally published in August 2017 and has been revised for relevance.

© 2019, Contributing Author. All rights reserved.